Molding apparatus



May 15, 192s.

J. R. GAMME-:TER

HOLDING APPARATUS Filed June'l. 192e l 2 Sheets-Sheet @i 1 l l I l I l l l t n l l l l l Il May 15, 192s.l

J. R. GAMMETER MOLDING APPARATUS 2 sheets-snee:

Filed June l5. 1926 Patented May 175,- 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,669,704 PATENT oFF1cE.-

JOHN a. cammen, or AKRON, OHIO, AssIGNOa To 'rnE E. r. eoonarcn cOnrANY, or NEW Yoax, N. Y., A CORPORATION or NEW Yoan.

HOLDING 'APPABATUS.

Application led June 15, 1926. Serial No. 118,118.

This invention relates to vmolding apparatus and especially to apparatus for molding hollow articles under internal fluid pressure.

My chief objects are to provide economy 5 ofV construction and operation. A more specific object is to-provide improved apparatus for molding and vulcanizing hollow rubber articles wherein a series of molds may be mounted in a vulcanizer and individual molds may be removed therefrom for removing and inserting the work without relieving the pressure on the other molds,

' so that no more than one mold of the series need be out of vulcanizing service at any time. A further object is to provide molding and vulcanizing apparatus of this type wherein the mold sections conveniently may be held closed without the use of a ram and by theA employment of simple and easily L, 2 0 Operated means. Another object is t'o vprovide means for holding the mold sections closed such that comparatively thin mold sections may be used, for economy o space and for effective heat transfer.

Of the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a horizonta section of apparatu embodying my invention in its preferred form, parts comprising a mold and a mold-v supporting platen being shown in full plan view. Fig. 2 isa vertical longitudinal section through a part of the same, with the work therein, the mold being 'in vulcanizing po- Sition. r Y l Fig.v 3 is a section on line 3'-3 of Fig. 2. 'Referring to the drawings, 10, 10 are adjacent platens of a heater' or vulcanizer, which preferably comprises anv extended series o such vplatens supported in spaced The platens are Ormed with steam passages 12,-12 and are provided with pipe connections 13, 13 for' admitting and venting steam therefrom, to heat the platens to vulcanizing temperature. 1

. Each of the platens 12 is .uniformly tapered, in thickness, from. its rear margin ,to its front margin, so that each of the spaces between adjacent platens is reversely tapered, as shown in Fi 2, and ada ted to receive a complementa y tapered mo d2 such .as the mold 14, each mold andthe adJacent platens interiittin in wedging relation.

v The mold 14 is erein shown, for the vurpose of illustration, as an inner tube mol for tween handles each member of the molds isv relation b u r1 ht su rtin bars 11' 11.1

y p PPO g Amold being spaced apart'from each other-to a transverselyilattened inner tube 15, and comprises an annular upper member 16 and an annular lower'member 17 hinged together at 18 at the rear of the mold, said members between them defining an. annular molding cavity for the inner tube, and the lower member 17 having its inner wall apertured at the front of the mold to accommodate the valve-stem 19 ofthe tube.

The lower mold member 17 is formed with tangentially-disposed, parallel, lateral flanges 20, 20 to which are secured, by bolts 21, 21, respective vrearwardly-extending Y runners 22, 22, the latter extending below the bottom face of the mold member 17 as shown in Fig. 3 and slidably iitting within runways 23, 23 formed in the.upper face of the platen 10, from the front to the rear' margin thereof. The height of the runners is such that they .traverse the meeting plane 76` of the mold members at the' sides thereof, so as to guide :the "upper mold member accurately into re istr with the lower member while the mold 1s being closed, and such that their top faces are adapted to contact with lthe bottom face of the overlying platen 10 when the mold is pulled out from between the platens for loading and unloading, so

vthat the runners will support the mold substantially in horizontal position after it has been drawn forward between the platens.

Each upper mold member 16 is provided on its front Aside with. a pair of handles 24, 24 by which the mold maybe engagedto draw Ait from between the platens of the vulcanizer, and for raising the upper mold member to remove a vulcanized article and mount a'n unvulcanized one ltherein. Be?

:formed with a radial lug 25, the lugs of each ble fluid-conducting pipes, such as the vpipe x10 29, are provided, each having a terminal coupling for attachment to the valve stems 19 of the tubes 15, and each platen is formed its upper face with a central goove or channel 3l extending from its ont to rear margin to accommodate the pipe 29 while permitting the mold to be slid into and out of position between the platens. The pipes 29 may be connected r with a common supply-manifold (notv shown). t

The mode of operatiomand the advantages of the apparatus will -be manifest from the foregoing description.

My mvention 1s susceptible of modification within the scope of the appended claims,v

, mold consisting of two mating mold sections constituting a substantially complete enclosureof a mold cavity.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for conducting a v ressure fiuid into a hollow article containe in the mold.

3. Molding apparatus comprisingheating means deinin a tapered, mold-receiving space, a mol having complementally-tapered faces adapted to be wedged into said space, and means for distendmg a hollow article contained in the mold, the said mold consisting of two mating mold sections constituting a substantially .complete enclosure of amold cavity.

4. Molding apparatus comprising a series of 'spaced-apart heated platens defining a plurality of tapered mold-receiving spaces,

and a set of complementally-tapered molds adapted to -seat in thesaid-spaces, each of. o two matingY thel said molds consisting separating movement between| said elements, the said mold element consisting of two mating mold sections constituting a substantially complete enclosure of a mold cavity.

6. 'Molding apparatus comprising heating' means defining a mold-receiving space, a mold adapted,Y to be seated in said space with a wedoing action, and means for guiding the mold 1nto and out of the said space and for supporting it outside of the same, the said mold consisting of two mating mold sections constituting a substantially complete `enclosure of a mold cavity.

7. Moldin apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which tie mold-supporting means comprises a pair of elongated runners operatively connecting the mold and the heating element.

8. Molding apparatus comprising a heating element and a molding p to be assembled in wedging relation and means for conducting fluid tothe interior of e ement adapted,

said molding element, the said mold consisting of two mating mold sections constitutin a substantially complete enclosure of a mol cavity. A

.9.' Molding ap aratus comprising spacedapart platens efining a mold-receiving space, a mold adapted to be wedged intov said space, and a flexible pipe for conducting fluid to the interior of said mold, one of said platens being formed with a channel accommodating said pipe.

In witness whereof I my hand this 7th day of June, 1926.

JOHN R. GAMMETEB. 

